


Knight's Gambit

by Volavi



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, M/M, NO CAPES, No Smut, Pre-Slash, but some suggestive language, kids say the funniest things, lian is adorable, roy wants to play matchmaker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-25 14:16:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12037635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Volavi/pseuds/Volavi
Summary: Roy really wants to set up Dick with Lian's chess teacher. Dick isn't interested in getting into a relationship, but Roy can be very persuasive. And very stubborn. And perhaps a little conniving. Hey, life's just a chess game, isn't it?





	Knight's Gambit

  
“How did your date go?” Dick whispered to Roy as Roy threaded his way through the toys scattered over the floor. Lian had been asleep for over an hour, but he didn’t want to risk waking her.

 

Roy grimaced and shook his head, stepped on a Lego, yelped, clapped his hand over his own mouth to contain the noise, and limped the rest of the way to the couch.

 

Dick bit his lip to keep from laughing. “That good, huh?”

 

Roy collapsed next to Dick. “Yeah, that good. She knew I had a kid before the date, but every time I mentioned Lian, I could see her freaking out more and more.”

 

“Sorry it was a bust.”

 

“Not a total bust. We still made out in the car for ten minutes before I dropped her off.”

 

Dick snorted. “Classy.”

 

“What about your love life, loser?” Roy could make ‘loser’ sound almost affectionate.

 

“You know I’m not looking to date right now. Between work and trying to finish my degree online so I can make detective, I hardly have the time. And since the thing with Wally ended so disastrously, I’m still on my BOY-cott.” Dick smiled at his own pun. 

 

“Yeah, yeah, Grayson. Funny. Because you’re gay and you’re not dating, it’s a boycott. I had to strain both of my two brain-cells, but I get it.”

 

“Watch your tone, or I won’t babysit Lian for free any more.”

 

“I’m gonna call your bluff. There’s no way you could go more than two weeks without seeing her.”

 

Dick chuckled. “You got me there.”

 

“Speaking of Lian and your love life, you should come with me the next time I take her to chess club at the Y. Her teacher is totally hot, single, and has a bisexual pride flag on his backpack. We’ve been playing basketball together for a few months now, and he’s a great guy.”

 

“You ask him out yourself, then. Sounds like you have a bit of a crush.”

 

Roy gave a long and melodramatic sigh. “He’s Lian’s teacher. Off-limits. Besides, I think you two would be really good together.”

 

“Roy, I appreciate the thought, but I’m really not looking to start a relationship right now.”

 

“Who said anything about a relationship? Why not just a raunchy one night stand? You know, work out some of that tension and have a really mind-blowing or--”

 

“Daddy! You’re back! I missed you!”

 

Both Roy and Dick turned bright red as Lian hurtled down the hallway and launched herself at Roy.

 

“I’m going to take that as my cue to head home. Good night, you two,” Dick said.

 

“Bye Uncle Dick!”

 

“Night, Dick. Thanks for babysitting.”

 

Dick laughed as he let himself out, Lian protesting, “Daddy, I’m not a baby! Uncle Dick should say ‘kid-sitting.’”

 

**********

 

Dick frowned when he saw Roy’s number flash up on his work phone. He was on-duty, and really shouldn’t be taking personal calls, but he’d been clear to Roy that if Roy really needed him, he could use this number in emergencies.

 

“Grayson,” Dick said as he answered his phone.

 

“So I talked to Chess Hottie and he’s definitely single, and he’s-”

 

Whatever Roy was about to say was cut off as Dick growled, “Harper, this is my work number. You know you’re only supposed to call it for something serious. I thought Lian was hurt or something.”

 

Before Roy could defend himself, Dick pushed the end call button.

 

*************** 

 

Over the next couple of weeks, Roy did not let the subject drop. He kept up a barrage of text messages, none of which Dick responded to.

 

_ He’s smart and good with kids. You’d like him, I promise. _

 

_ He volunteers at the Y to teach inner city kids how to play chess! How can you not love that? You’re a heartless bastard, Grayson. _

 

_ I saw him working out in the Y gym and I think I want to date him. If you don’t want him, I’ll take him. _

 

_ Never mind, I can’t ask Lian’s teacher on a date. But you’re missing out, is all I’m saying.  _

 

_ But seriously, I think he could bench-press you. That’s a good thing, right? _

 

_ I talked to him about you, and he is definitely interested. I told him that you’re really into yoga and are super flexible, and he was impressed, I could tell.  _

 

_ I’ve been really talking you up. Just go on a date. _

 

_ One date. And then you can go back to being a workaholic. It’ll be good for you to do something fun for once. _

 

_ Don’t leave me hanging like this. _

 

_ I hate you, Dick Grayson. _

 

_ **************** _

 

“Grayson,” Dick sighed as he answered his work phone. Roy was calling, again. He considered sending it to voicemail, but a little voice niggled, what if really was important this time?

 

“Dick! Thank God you answered. I’m really in a bind and I need you to pick up Lian. Please, man, I’ll totally owe you one.”

 

“Calm down, Roy. What’s up?”

 

“Well, I was in a little bit of a car accident and her daycare ends in an hour. Can you make it?”

 

“Of course I can. You alright?”

 

“Fine, fine. But the car’s totalled.”

 

“Shit, sorry, man. I’ll take her back to my place and get her dinner. Don’t worry about Lian.”

 

“Oh, and say ‘Hi’ to Chess Hottie for me.”

 

“Fucking hell, Roy. This better not be some ploy to get me to go out with him!”

 

“It’s not, I promise - I really did wreck the car. I’ll call you later.”

 

Dick rolled his eyes and went to talk to his boss about getting off a bit early tonight.

 

*********

 

Dick had been to the Y with Roy and Lian before, so he had no problem finding the room the after school program used. He was actually early, so he wasn’t sure if he should just sign Lian out now or wait until the chess club officially ended. Dick peered around the door, trying to find Lian to see if she looked like she was having a good time without letting her see him. 

 

Dick saw Lian right away, laughing like a little five year old evil mastermind in training as she took another - much older - kid’s rook. Dick also saw what he guessed must be the volunteer who taught the chess club. The man was leaning down talking to another kid, facing away from Dick, presenting a rather shapely rear end towards the door. It was a great ass, but the man’s thighs were even better. Maybe Roy hadn’t been completely mistaken. Dick hadn’t dated anyone with thighs quite that impressive since his debacle of a relationship during his one and only semester at Hudson University. 

 

Dick realized that he’d been far too openly admiring the view when he didn’t even notice that Lian had spotted him until she shrieked with joy.

 

“Uncle Dick!”

 

The chess teacher straightened and turned as Lian bolted towards Dick. She launched herself at him, knowing that Dick would always catch her, but it was close thing, because even as she was flying through the air at him, Dick saw the teacher’s face.

 

“Jason? Jason Todd?”

 

“Dick.” Jason had a sardonic smirk on his handsome face. It’s probably been at least eight years since Dick last saw him, but he looked good. Not entirely pleased to see Dick, though.

 

“Um, hi.” Dick shuffled his feet as he paid more attention to shifting Lian to a more comfortable hold than really necessary. “Uh, sorry to interrupt, but Roy asked me to pick Lian up since he’s running late.”

 

“Is my daddy okay?”

 

“He’s fine, Li-bear, but it sounds like your car isn’t doing so great.” Dick booped Lian on the nose and crossed his eyes at her until she giggled. 

 

“I told him to stop putting guyliner on when he was driving,” she mock-whispered, startling a laugh out of both Dick and Jason.

 

Jason shrugged and then crossed his arms, seemingly unaware how that action made his tee shirt pull tight across his pecs. It looked like Jason hadn’t been neglecting the gym since their break-up, and was even more well-muscled now than he had been at eighteen.

 

“Lian, please finish the game with Paisley before you leave. If you handle it right, it’s only about five moves until check-mate.”

 

“Hey!” Lian’s opponent said.

 

Dick let Lian down and shoved his hands in his pockets, resisting the urge to shuffle his feet again. Jason had been Dick’s first relationship with a guy. And first real relationship ever, if he didn’t count Babs, when he’d mistaken good friendship with attraction. He and Jason had fallen hard, and they’d fallen fast, but then Dick had more or less failed out of business school. Feeling like it wasn’t fair to carry on a long distance relationship with Jason when they’d only been together a couple of months, and going through a bit of an existential crisis of his own, Dick had broken up with Jason over email during winter break. It’d been a shitty thing to do, and he had never heard from Jason again.

 

Jason stalked over to the door, a crooked, faint grin on his lips. He swept his eyes down Dick’s body and back up, and Dick knew he looked good in his uniform, but he couldn’t help blushing a bit at the blatant scrutiny. 

 

“So you’re the cop that Harper’s been trying to set me up with?”

 

“And you’re the chess coach. He never mentioned your name.”

 

“Never mentioned your name either. Just called you Officer Sexy Abs.”

 

Dick felt himself flushing even as he said, “He called you Chess Hottie.”

 

Jason snorted a laugh Dick had never forgotten, even after all these years. “I’m gonna kill Harper,” he said, but sounded fond.

 

Dick grinned and raised his eyebrows. “I’ll help.”

 

Jason met Dick’s eyes, expression suddenly serious. Dick felt a jolt of panic mixed with heat. “You were a jerk in college,  _ Dickhead. _ ”

 

“I’m sorry. I was panicking about college, and Bruce, and what I was going to do with my life, but you deserved better than that. I was an ass, and hope one day you can accept my apology.”

 

Jason studied Dick’s face for a few seconds before nodding once, a corner of his mouth lifting again. “How about you start trying to make it up to me?”

 

Dick felt his own mouth curving up, almost against his will. Okay, he totally knew he was grinning like an idiot but he couldn’t help it. “How does dinner sound?”

 

Suddenly Dick felt Lian’s little hand in his again. “Uncle Dick, are you and Mister Jason going to play angry tiger? Cuz whenever Daddy has a friend over and they play angry tiger, I get to watch whatever movie I want and have popsicles.”

 

Jason had a wicked spark in his eyes. “Angry tiger, huh? Maybe if your Uncle Dick gets really lucky.”

 

Dick felt a tight heat in his groin even as he contemplated all the different ways he could murder Harper and get away with it. After he profusely thanked the man and bought him a new car, of course. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is in response to a Tumblr prompt from a-leap-of-faith. I hope you like it! I sure had fun writing it.


End file.
